Families wiped out in dam tragedy as 37 bodies of victims identified so far

Friends and relatives of Solai dam tragedy victims reacting after identifying the bodies of their loved ones at Nakuru County Mortuary on 11 May, 2018. [Harun Wathari, Standard]

The sun set on them as a unit but by dawn, 14 of them had been dispatched to their hereafter by raging waters.

The families of Benson Mureithi and his cousin Isaac Muna were among the hardest hit by the catastrophic Solai dam tragedy that occurred on Wednesday night.

Yesterday, the 14 were among the 37 bodies identified at the Nakuru Level Five Hospital and the Nakuru County mortuaries. Tears flowed as families gathered to identify bodies of their loved ones.

“After missing them at the camp, hopes of finding them alive dwindled. We decided to continue with the search at the morgue,” said Mureithi.

The two were shocked to find all the missing relatives at the Nakuru County Mortuary among them Mr Muna’s wife who was swept away by the raging waters in full glare of her helpless 16-year-old daughter who survived by clinching on to a cloth line.

“It is a big blow to the family having lost over 10 relatives at a go. We could not believe our eyes seeing them all lying on a cold floor at the morgue. It is, however, a relief that their bodies have been recovered,” said Mr Mureithi.

Among the deceased was their cousin who died alongside four of his children, nieces, nephews and in-laws.

The relatives found themselves in the same area after their fathers, who were members of the Nyakinyua land buying company, bought land from Mansukul Patel, who owns the killer dam.

Their links with other residents got extended as their children, who are now adults, married from among the community members.

Kamau Irungu’s family is another which was hit hard by the catastrophe. Irungu, 52, died together with his daughter identified by neighbors as Jane, and his two grand daughters.

Samuel Chege, a neighbour, said Irungu, a casual labourer at the Patel farm, had just reported home at around 7.30pm when the tragedy struck.

Chege said he heard Irungu scream loud for help, he quickly held tight onto one of his grand daughter aged 12, but while moving out of his house, he was swept and carried by the waters.

“I was alone in my house when I heard Irungu cry for help. I rushed to give a help but on arrival, I found he had drowned and the waters had carried away his daughter and granddaughter,” he said. According to Chege, Irungu had lived there for more than 20 years. “Irungu was a very hardworking individual, and he used to save every single penny he earned from the causal jobs. Before his death, he had bought a parcel of land that he was developing. It is unfortunate that he passed on with his entire family,” said the neighbour.

Chege was mourning the death of his other neighbour, Nyambura Kariuki, a single mother who drowned together with her two daughters aged 6 and 18. She also worked at the farm.

Yesterday, Nakuru County Mortuary Superintendent Alloys Momanyi said 30 out the 31 bodies at the facility had been identified. The morgue, which has a capacity of 38 bodies, was stretched to the limits as more victims were brought in.

At the Level Five Hospital Mortuary, 11 out of 17 bodies were identified by the families.

Most victims who had been admitted to hospitals with various injuries were treated and discharged.

Nakuru Level Five Hospital Nursing Officer Alphaxard Kemboi said only three patients were still admitted to the facility while 15 had been discharged.

Among those who came to view the bodies was Ms Susan Wanja who after an unsuccessful search for her father’s body at the Nakuru County Mortuary, stumbled on it.

Wanja, who works in Nyeri, recounted how she unsuccessfully tried to reach her family through their mobile phones in vain, prompting her to travel back home.

“After watching the news, I tried to call my father and my sister who were at home when the tragedy happened. All their phones were off and I had to come and check on their whereabouts,” said Wanja.

Prepared for the worst, she courageously entered the county mortuary but after viewing all the unclaimed bodies, she couldn’t find her father. She proceeded to the Nakuru Level Five Hospital Mortuary where she found the body.